In some cities the Chinatown is rather disappointing. Singapore comes to mind where it’s all about fridge magnets and cheap plastic toys for tourists. There is hardly a chance to take good shots there. And then there is my favourite Chinatown in Bangkok where no matter where you turn there is a great picture waiting for you.

The Chinatown in San Francisco sits right in the middle. Instead of street vendors selling snakes for your dinner you get shops for fridge magnets and other things that only tourists would buy but it still looks great.

I guess most credit goes to the city of San Francisco which is just awesome. With its steep roads, its cable cars and the wonderful contrast in-between old and new, clean and dirty. And Chinatown is not different. Plus there are some very cool murals too.

The two images above are a good examples of the contrast that you can find everywhere in this city. A very fine designed small house or office building just next to a mural and opposite to a building that sports some Chinese pagoda roofs. What would look crazy and totally out of place somewhere in Europe makes perfect sense here. And I love it.

There is only one city in the USA that I think I would find more attractive. This city is located of the other side of the continent. I have never been there but I will be there soon.